


The Song Inside of Me

by cutthroatpixie



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Detroit, Katsudon Bang 2017, M/M, Musicians, viktor is a damn fool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 12:12:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10437498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutthroatpixie/pseuds/cutthroatpixie
Summary: After years of playing and composing, Viktor ends up halfway around the world in search of inspiration. Perhaps the missing piece he needs isn’t too far from where he ends up.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my submission for Katsudon Mini Bang 2017! All art is by the wonderful [Cymeteria](http://cymeteria-pencils.tumblr.com/). Go check out the rest of her art, it's lovely. :)
> 
> Thank you thank you to [counterheist](http://archiveofourown.org/users/counterheist/pseuds/counterheist) and [NotTheTomato](http://archiveofourown.org/users/NotTheTomato/) for looking this over at various stages of writing <3
> 
> Also thank you to camp rock for inspiring me in my everyday life always and giving me [titles for my fanfics](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mQy5E6ugSs).

The movers brought the last of the (many, many) boxes into Viktor’s new apartment, carefully placing them into different rooms and corners as instructed. Once they were gone, Viktor looked around at the (as of now organised) mess that was his new place. It had taken some time to maneuver his piano into the building, but luckily he’d chosen a ground floor apartment and it hadn’t needed to be carried up any pesky flights of stairs. It looked right at home in his living room, in the opposite corner from where he’d placed his couch. The rest of the living room was filled with box after box of various instruments and sheet music that he still needed to sort through and find places for, but instead of doing that, he sat down at the piano bench and started tinkering away at the keys, checking to make sure nothing had gotten out of tune in transit.

The notes he played were familiar ones— bits and pieces from an as of yet unfinished piece he’d been working on. The melody had originally come to him on the saxophone and when he’d been unable to complete it, he’d moved onto clarinet, then guitar briefly, before the piece had finally found its way to piano, where he’d had the most success with it. “Most success” being relative, as he was still nowhere near completing the song. He’d tried to move onto working on other pieces, yet this one seemed to call him back again and again, never letting him finish anything else.

Darkness descended before he finally got up from the piano bench, the song no more complete than it had been when he’d sat down. He didn’t much feel like unpacking tonight, not after spending the whole day moving already, and Makkachin was clearly itching to go for a walk anyway, so he decided he’d take Makkachin out, pick up some food on the way, and call it a night.

“You ready to go for a walk, Makkachin?” He was, obviously, and the dog started dancing around at Viktor’s feet, happily barking and following him as Viktor went to retrieve the leash he’d left by the front door. “Okay, okay, we’re going.”

That had been his intention, of course, to put Makkachin’s leash on, grab his wallet and keys, and head straight out, but he was stopped in his tracks by the faint, airy sound of a violin.

Viktor had heard a lot of music in his life, plenty of it on violin, but in that moment, it was as if he was hearing for the first time. Whoever was playing had a smooth, even pacing as they made their way through the music. Viktor, ever the hopeless romantic, could almost feel himself falling in love as he listened to the violin play on. It could have been a song he’d heard a hundred million times and he’d still be just as enchanted, but it was not only like nothing he’d ever heard before, it was actually something all new, all new and exciting and so very, very...

“ _Wow_ ,” he whispered to himself, just before Makkachin broke him out of his musical trance with an impatient whine.

“Sorry, sorry.” He patted Makkachin on the head and lead him out of the apartment. As soon as he left the building, he could no longer hear the music, but it was still there, ringing inside his head, waiting for him to figure out which of his new neighbours was responsible for such an innovative and magical sound.

“I can’t wait to meet them,” he told Makkachin as they walked off into the night.

\---

To his displeasure, by the time he returned with a tired dog and a bag full of Indian takeout, the violin had stopped. Perhaps another neighbour had complained (how could anyone complain about such a gorgeous sound?) or the violinist was just taking a break and would continue another time. He certainly hoped it was the latter.

His thoughts were interrupted, yet again, by the low whine of a poodle, though this time it was not Makkachin that was to blame.

“I know Vicchan, don’t worry, we’re going.” A dog, much smaller than Makkachin, and a man, slightly shorter than Viktor, came around the corner and Viktor barely had time to think before Makkachin was pulling away from him and running towards the other pair, excitement overshadowing his previous post-walk exhaustion.

“Makkachin, no!”

Makkachin did not listen. He ran straight over to the other poodle and immediately started nosing at him. The other man laughed a bit as he watched the two dogs and oh that was more music to Viktor’s ears (they were so, so lucky today, Viktor thought), but he froze the second he locked eyes with Viktor.

“Oh,” he whispered. “Hi.”

“Hello,” Viktor whispered back. He had no idea why they were whispering. “You live here too, I’m guessing? I just moved in.”

The dogs were happily sniffing at and licking one another. Viktor was grinning. The currently unnamed man continued looking like he’d seen a ghost for a few seconds longer, before he finally snapped out of it.

“I. Yes I live here. What are you doing here?” He shook his head before Viktor could answer that. “That’s a rude question. I’m so sorry, that’s not what I meant. You must be the person who just moved in?”

“I am!” Viktor was glad the whispering had stopped. “I’m Viktor.”

“Yuuri.” He held up the hand that was holding his dog’s leash, dropped that hand, and raised his other one to shake Viktor’s. His fingers were callused, his palms sweaty, but Viktor gladly shook anyway, after adjusting his takeout bag so it rested up on his elbow. “Are you taking Makkachin for a walk? I can show you a park nearby, if you’d like. Well. Kind of nearby, it’s about a mile, I guess if you don’t walk a lot that might be far?”

Viktor almost asked how Yuuri knew Makkachin’s name, before realising he’d shouted it only moments before when Makkachin got away from him. “We just got back from a walk, actually, but maybe you can show me another time? I don’t really know the area well.”

Yuuri’s dog (Vicchan, Viktor recalled) had apparently had enough socialising and started bouncing up and down as soon as Yuuri, and then Viktor, said “walk”.

“I should go,” Yuuri said. “But yeah, I’ll show you around sometime, if you want? I’m sure you could figure out where the park is, it’s easy, but. If you want.”

“I do want.” Viktor picked Makkachin’s leash back up and grinned at Yuuri. “Maybe in the morning?”

Yuuri was blushing a bit and oh. Viktor’s face felt nice and warm and he thought maybe he was too. “Sure.” Vicchan tugged at his leash and Yuuri followed after him to finally let the poor dog go on his walk. “In the morning.”

Viktor was surely the most impatient man alive, because he couldn’t wait to go on that walk with Yuuri either.

\---

Viktor realised a few things when he woke up bright and early the next morning. One, he and Yuuri hadn't actually said what time that morning they would meet up to walk their dogs together. Two, they hadn't named a place to meet. In the hall? Outside their building? Three, he had no idea which apartment was Yuuri’s and he also didn't have his phone number so he couldn't just ask. Maybe Yuuri knew which apartment was his, since he'd known someone new had moved in?

Viktor shrugged. He took Makkachin outside to use the bathroom quickly, deciding he'd wait and see if Yuuri turned up. If not, he could always take Makkachin out by himself and hope he ran into Yuuri again later.

He'd been too exhausted to take a shower last night. By the time he’d finished with dinner and spent a few more hours with both his piano and clarinet, he was ready to fall right into bed and nothing more. He regretted that a bit now, but it was easy enough to shower before he did anything else for the day. If Yuuri did stop by, he should have been able to hear the knocking anyway.

As soon as he stepped into the shower, his shoulder muscles cried out in relief. Apparently, no matter how great his posture was, sitting at a piano bench for hours on end wasn’t doing him any favours. He started to hum as he attempted to massage the soreness out of his tired muscles. The humming gradually grew louder, briefly evolving into whistling, before Viktor eventually settled on singing some lines from his favourite opera as he shampooed his hair.

He did hear some knocking, though it came from the ceiling and not his front door. Apparently his upstairs neighbour did not appreciate his very soulful shower singing at 6:30 in the morning.

Around 9:45, he decided he had probably waited long enough. He'd heard most of the building walk down the hall and leave to go to work, but there was no sign of Yuuri (he _might_ have looked through the peephole on his door any time he heard footsteps).

"It's too bad," he told Makkachin, who had been eyeing his leash for the past hour or so. "Looks like we won't get to walk with our new friends today."

He opened his door, only to see a dark blur rush past him.

The blur then became a much more solid person-type figure holding a dog-type figure as it backtracked and came to stand in front of him and Makkachin.

Yuuri's hair was a mess, the yoga pants he was wearing were most likely his pajamas from the previous night, and the coat he had on wasn't buttoned properly, but Viktor sure was glad to see him anyway.

"I slept in," Yuuri panted.

Viktor laughed. "It's okay, we never decided on a time. Though you have kept me waiting awfully long," he teased.

"I know I'm so sorry. I guess it's better we didn't actually plan on a specific time, I would have definitely been late."

"You can make it up to me by walking Makkachin."

"I, huh?" Viktor took advantage of Yuuri's confusion and, after carefully taking Vicchan out of the other man's arms, he handed him Makkachin's leash.

"We can switch!" Neither dog seemed to mind that much, but Yuuri still looked confused. "Makkachin hasn't been this small since he was a tiny puppy! He's a miniature, right?"

"Vicchan is. Yeah. A miniature. Makkachin is a standard." It wasn't a question.

They left the building, Yuuri holding Makkachin’s leash and Viktor holding Vicchan’s. Yuuri didn’t say much, probably still drowsy from sleeping in, but Viktor thought it was a nice walk anyway. The dog park was close enough to where they lived, in one of the historic areas of town, right near the main train station, and Viktor was certain he could have indeed found it by himself if he’d needed to, though he was glad for the company.

Makkachin seemed to agree. “He really likes you,” he told Yuuri.

Yuuri didn’t respond right away, too busy throwing Makkachin’s ball for him again. “Does he?” He was flushed, maybe from the walk, maybe from something else. It looked nice on him either way. “I’m sure he likes everyone, he’s a friendly dog.”

“He is.” Makkachin didn’t normally act this friendly with anyone but him, though. Yuuri had even gotten him to give the ball back when they played fetch! “Vicchan is very friendly too, such a sweet dog.” Said dog was currently laying in the grass, tummy up, begging for attention. Viktor did not disappoint. “Such a cute name too, what’s it mean?”

Yuuri went from flushed to bright red in less time than it took for Viktor to even finish asking the question. “It uh. It’s a name. It doesn’t mean anything?”

That was a good enough answer for Viktor. “Just wanted something that sounded good? Me too, Makkachin doesn’t really mean anything either.”

Yuuri looked relieved. They stayed at the park, throwing balls and chasing dogs and making idle chit-chat with one another for another hour or so before Yuuri was suddenly looking at his phone in horror and shouting about how he had to go.

“Just not your day for being on time to things, hm?” Viktor teased.

“I wasn’t late to meet up with you.” Yuuri and Viktor both had their own dogs for the walk (run) home. “I am going to be late for my class, though.”

“Want to be late to your class again sometime?” Yuuri was cute and Makkachin liked him and Viktor was never one for subtlety.

“Of course I don— oh no you mean. Yes. We can walk the dogs together again, sure. I’ll give you my number.” As soon as they were back in their building, Viktor handed Yuuri his phone, opened to the page to add new contacts. Yuuri quickly added himself and then ran off to the elevator. “See you later!”

Viktor laughed and returned the farewell.

“Hm.” He looked at Yuuri’s contact page in his phone as he lead Makkachin back inside. “He even included his apartment number, how thoughtful.”

\---

A few days (and walks with Yuuri and Vicchan) later, Viktor was once again singing in the shower. Nobody banged on the ceiling for him to stop this time, so he continued carefree for awhile.

Something else made him stop, however.

Something. Somebody. Was playing his song.

His never-before-heard, not-even-finished song he’d been working on for what felt like an eternity.

It wasn’t perfect, not like the mysterious violin music he was still hoping to hear again, but it had the same sort of enchanting quality. A note was wrong here and there, but the way the music flowed was unlike anything Viktor himself played. It could be difficult for even the best of musicians to convey such raw emotion in their music, not the way this person was managing to do with an imperfect rendition of an unfinished song that wasn’t even their own.

Viktor quickly got out of the shower, threw on some clothes in what surely was a record for him, and ran out the front door, barely managing to keep Makkachin from following as he did so.

The piano was easier to pinpoint than the violin had been. It was definitely coming from above him, and it wasn’t too quiet, so it was most likely only on the second or third floor, not the fourth or fifth. He paused when he exited the stairwell to the second floor.

He only knew one person who lived here and while he wasn’t exactly opposed to knocking on every door in the building until he found who was playing that music, he figured starting with Yuuri’s wouldn’t exactly hurt…

The music stopped as soon as he knocked on the door for apartment 2A.

Vicchan barked excitedly behind the closed door, continued doing so when Yuuri opened the door and the dog saw Viktor.

Viktor didn’t even give Yuuri a chance to say hello before he was excitedly asking, “Was that you playing my song?”

Yuuri looked up at the ceiling and mumbled something that sounded like, “Of course that was your song,” before saying, louder and actually to Viktor, “Yes. I’m sorry?”

Viktor shook his head. “Don’t be! I didn’t know you played the piano. I do too.”

Yuuri stepped back from the door and motioned for Viktor to come in. “I know you do.”

“Oh right. Because you heard me playing. How else would you have heard the song.”

“Well.” Yuuri looked embarrassed and Viktor thought it was very cute. “No. I know you play the piano because you’re Viktor Nikiforov.”

“That is my name, yes.”

“Viktor Nikiforov. Principal clarinetist for the Russian National Orchestra. Plays piano and saxophone and guitar. Can’t sing very well, way too pitchy.”

All of Yuuri’s flustered reactions to him when they first met suddenly made sense. “You’re a fan? Wait— I’ve never sung in public! Was that you banging on the ceiling?!”

\---

Wounded as his pride was over the harsh criticism of his singing, Viktor was still so touched that Yuuri had learned to play his new song, and just from listening too! He left Yuuri’s apartment with a promise to work on the song together sometime. Yuuri’s execution on piano was far from flawless, but Viktor had felt so, so inspired listening to him play, watching the way he looked as he did so, it almost didn’t even matter.  
  
He’d looked “Yuuri Katsuki, piano” up on Google and YouTube, had found a few videos of local competitions from both Yuuri’s hometown of Hasetsu and their current location in Detroit. He’d won quite a few, it looked like, and Viktor was surprised he’d never heard of him, until he found a few of the rare videos of Yuuri at more prestigious events such as the International Piano Competition Delia Steinberg in Spain and the San Jose International Piano Competition.

While Yuuri’s performances were not entirely terrible, it was clear he’d bombed at said events, not making it past the First Round in either competition. Viktor wondered what was keeping someone so talented, so inspiring, from making it at an international level. If he could inspire Viktor, surely he could do the same for others?

A reminder of his other source of inspiration (and a reminder that maybe he wasn’t so difficult to inspire after all) came later that evening.

The violin once again sounded miles away, not like Yuuri’s piano had sounded when it was coming from the apartment right above him. It started out hesitantly, a few melodies here and there, as if whoever was playing was trying out something new, maybe an original piece they were working on. That ended after a short while and the music switched to a more familiar piece. Despite how common the song was, Viktor felt (for the second time) like he was hearing music for the first time in his life. Whoever was playing that violin, they had all the elegance and emotion Yuuri had on the piano, without the technical errors. It was absolutely breathtaking, really.

Viktor considered getting up and going in search of the violin player, as he’d done when he’d heard Yuuri’s piano playing earlier. He also considered going to Yuuri’s apartment again, just to check, especially since plenty of musicians played more than one instrument, but…

Viktor hadn’t seen a violin in Yuuri’s apartment and it didn’t sound like the music was coming from his apartment anyway. He decided, instead of going around knocking on doors this late in the evening, when he was already so cozy and snuggled up with Makkachin, that he’d text Yuuri (Yuuri!!! as he was now listed as in his contacts) instead. He liked having excuses to talk to him anyway.

  
**20:03**  
_yuuri! are there any musicians in this buidling???_ _  
_ _other than us of course :)_

Yuuri took awhile to respond and Viktor spent the time waiting just listening to the beautiful violin music wafting through the building. It stopped eventually, much to his disappointment, but Yuuri also responded eventually and that made up for it.  
  
**21:13** _  
Not that I know of, no. I don’t really know everyone in the building._

If Viktor had been thinking, he might have asked about the violin music specifically. Viktor wasn’t thinking.

**21:14  
** _ah too bad! you do have friends other than me here though?_

Yuuri didn’t respond right away and Viktor wondered if maybe the teasing was a bit much for their budding friendship (relationship?), but he quickly forgot about that when Yuuri did reply.

**21:23  
** _Sorry, was just leaving my FRIEND Phichit’s apartment._

_xaxa! of course you have other friends im just teasing :) :) :)_ _  
_ _coffee tomorrow after we walk the dogs? you dont have class yes?_

_Sure! I don’t have class. I know a good place near the university, if you want to go there?_

**21:24** _  
_ _id love to <3 _

**21:30  
** _See you tomorrow._

**21:31  
** _:)_

\---

Viktor’s days were filled with walking Makkachin with Yuuri, having coffee with Yuuri, playing piano with Yuuri, and occasionally playing music by himself, both at home and at clubs around town (he had to keep busy and make money for all those coffee dates somehow).

Viktor’s nights were filled with more music, usually, both listening and playing. This particular night, however, while filled with music, was also filled with the fact that apparently a party was going on in the building and he hadn’t been invited.

“We really need to make more friends,” he told Makkachin. “Or I do. I’m sure everyone would love to be your friend, you don’t even need to try to make them.”

He tried texting Yuuri. No response. Perhaps he was at the party as well?

**23:17** **  
**_Vktor_  
_Vicor  
VITKOR_

Well. That certainly answered his question.

**23:18** **  
** _youve almost got it yuuri!_

_Gt wgat?_  
_Neverr_  
_Mind_  
_Cmoe here!_  
  
**23:19  
**_Pkease_

**23:20** _**  
** where is here? _

_Were i am id here_  
_???  
Hold on _

Viktor held on. Or rather, he put his shoes on and waited for Yuuri to text him his location so he could go find him.

Yuuri did not text him his location. That would have been silly, as Yuuri’s current location was “standing outside Viktor’s door and loudly banging on it while shouting Viktor’s name”.

“Hi Yuuri.” Yuuri was a sloppy, drunken mess. His hair looked like he’d gelled it back and then promptly rolled around on the ground. His shirt had been unbuttoned, then hastily rebuttoned so that the buttons were all in the wrong holes and it was only half tucked into his jeans, which had some sort of liquid (red wine, it seemed) spilled all over them. He was flushed and a bit sweaty and there was glitter covering half of his face. Viktor thought he was absolutely beautiful.

Yuuri stumbled into his apartment and was temporarily distracted by Makkachin running over to lick his face in greeting. He didn’t seem to mind being knocked over by the overenthusiastic dog, pressing kisses to his fur until Makkachin finally let him back up.

“Are you alright?” Viktor asked. He seemed fine, albeit very drunk, but it never hurt to make sure.

“You need to come see something right now,” Yuuri told him instead of answering.

“Come see what?”

“Me.” Yuuri grabbed Viktor’s hand and oh. It was sweaty and glittery and oh so perfect, having those fingers entwined with his own. “You need to come see me. Hang out with me?”

Viktor couldn’t say no to that, of course. He followed Yuuri up to what turned out to be his friend Phichit’s apartment on the fifth floor.

“Oh, you found him!” Viktor thought Phichit was talking to Yuuri at first, commenting on him finding Viktor, but it turned out Phichit was actually addressing him. “I was worried he’d drunkenly run off into the night again.”

“Again?”

“I have never done that in my entire life.” Yuuri was still clutching Viktor’s hand, but he used his other one to try and shush Phichit. If by “shushing” one meant “attempting to cover Phichit’s mouth and smacking his cheeks instead”, of course. “Don’t tell Viktor those things, he thinks I’m nice.”

“You are very nice.” Even with him this drunk, Viktor was still completely charmed by Yuuri.

That certainly didn’t stop when Yuuri started dancing, first by himself, then (after blowing him away with a definitely well practiced routine on a pole he’d dragged out of Phichit’s room) with Viktor. If anything, Viktor found that he had previously misunderstood the meaning of “completely charmed”, because he definitely found himself more and more enchanted with each spin and twist of Yuuri’s body, with the way he put his hand on Viktor’s waist, with how he managed to move so gracefully even as his words got more and more slurred.

\---

**8:05** **  
**_good morning sleeping beauty!_  
_i hope you are not too hungover  
if you are make sure to take the pills i left by your bed!!!_

**10:32** **  
**_Oh my god._  
_I am so sorry?  
What the hell did I do last night???_

He’d _obviously_ confirmed last night that he was the person Viktor needed to give his heart to. Viktor thought he’d tell him that later, though, when Yuuri was less hungover and confused about all the shenanigans he’d gotten up to the previous evening.

**10:33** **  
**_ill show you pics later ;)_  
_you mostly danced a lot_  
_with me which was fun!_  
_maybe with other people before i got there idk  
you also asked me to coach you_

**10:34** **  
** _What_

_in piano_  
_it was kind of cute_  
_and of course ill help you with it  
youre fun to play with :) :) :)!_

Their conversation continued, consisting mostly of Yuuri apologising over and over for dragging Viktor out of his apartment and asking “embarrassing” things of him, for making Viktor stay up all night because he’d been incapable of walking himself back downstairs to his own apartment, and for insisting that Viktor stay until he fell asleep. He apologised for that last bit more than anything else when Viktor told him. Viktor didn’t think he had anything to be sorry for, really. As if Viktor would have left him alone in such a state even without Yuuri practically begging for him not to leave.

**11:02** **  
**_i had a lot of fun dont worry about it really  
_ _we can start your “coaching” when youre feeling better :p_

\---

"So. How's your boyfriend?"

Viktor woke up to the sound of someone talking very loudly out in the hallway. He normally didn't eavesdrop (too much anyway), but the person talking sounded like Phichit and that probably meant he was talking to...

" _Viktor Nikiforov_ is not my boyfriend," Yuuri replied. Viktor was so glad he’d been right. He was not so glad about the way Yuuri said that, but he could always work on that pesky not being his boyfriend thing later.

"Oh I'm so sorry." Phichit was laughing. "How is _Viktor Nikiforov_ , musical prodigy, absolute god on piano, clarinet, saxophone, and probably kazoo, winner of a million and three international competitions, and also your future husband?"

"It's more like five international competitions. For piano at least," was all Viktor heard Yuuri say before the two men presumably exited the building and were out of earshot.

"He's so cute," Viktor told Makkachin. "Knowing how many awards I have." Makkachin woofed happily and Viktor was sure that was in agreement and not just because Viktor was petting him. "We definitely need to help him get a few as well."

Viktor had never taught piano lessons before, but Yuuri didn't really need actual lessons, just someone to help him refine the skills that were already there and boost his confidence a little. Viktor looked at the “How to Teach Piano” WikiHow article anyway.

**9:31  
** _your place or mine?_  
_maybe yours?_  
_you know your piano better  
but your welcome to play on mine if you want to!_

**10:34  
** _Sorry, I was in class. What are you talking about?_

_your piano coaching duh!  
_ _i even reminded you why did you forget again :(_

**10:37  
** _Oh right. I thought you were kidding about that.  
_ _You can come over when I'm done with classes today, if you want._

_you really need to be more enthusiastic about this yuuri  
_ _an absolute god on piano is offering to help you realise your true potential ;) ;) ;)_

**10:40  
** _I am going to kill Phichit.  
_ _If I'm not home by 3 assume I'm on the run after murdering him._

**10:41  
** _ok xaxa try not to get caught_  
_i want to hear you actually play the piano well before you go to jail! <3_

_I feel like you just insulted me but honestly same.  
_ _I have to go to my next class, I'll talk to you later._

**10:42**  
_im looking forward to it!_

When Yuuri knocked on Viktor’s door a little after 3:00 PM, Viktor was armed with sheet music, a bag of candy, and a copy of _Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course Finger Aerobics, Bk 1_ (it had just looked too ridiculous not to buy, honestly).

He handed Yuuri a laminated business card. “That’s the only one I have, so please take care of it.” He’d printed it himself and everything.

“Viktor Nikiforov,” Yuuri read. “Piano Coach, Musical Genius, Boyfriend Material. Are you asking me out or...?”

“I am a professional, Yuuri.” Viktor turned the card over in Yuuri’s hands. “There’s a picture of Makkachin and Vicchan on the back, look!”

“That’s a very cute picture.” Yuuri carefully put the card into his pocket. “I have my own sheet music, you know.”

“And it’s clearly cursed.” Viktor shoved the sheet music and book into Yuuri’s arms. He kept the bag of candy. “We’re going to start with all new music! I think these pieces will bring out your own inner piano god.” Yuuri gave him a skeptical look, so Viktor just nudged him away from the door. “Off we go, up to your apartment!”

The pieces did not bring out Yuuri’s own inner piano god, at least not right away. That first day, Yuuri had seemed flustered and distracted the second he started to play for Viktor. Contrary to what the online articles about teaching piano had said, he did not seem any more confident when Viktor put his hands over his and guided him to the notes.

“I know where the notes are,” Yuuri mumbled, pulling his hands back from Viktor’s.

“Then act like it, yeah? I’ll give you a Milky Way if you play the first page without any mistakes!”

Yuuri rolled his eyes and continued to play. Maybe Viktor should not have read so many articles on coaching children.

“Just relax, Yuuri. We’re friends, yes? You’re not playing for any snobby judges, just me.” Yuuri’s hand slipped and played a garbled mess instead of the G-flat major chord he was supposed to. He quickly recovered however, continuing to play through the piece. “Mm. There you go! Keep playing like that.”

“You say that like it’s easy.” Yuuri did keep playing, though, more fluidly as time went on. Viktor watched him lose himself in the music. That was the piano playing he loved best from Yuuri, the kind he played when he wasn’t thinking about it.

“It’s not easy, no.” Viktor was whispering, not wanting to ruin the mood created by Yuuri’s talented fingers. “But I know you can do it.”

At Viktor’s words, Yuuri lost track of himself momentarily, but once he found his rhythm again, the notes flowing forth from his fingers were absolutely beautiful. Viktor just wished he could realise that for himself. 

\---

Viktor and Yuuri had quickly fallen into a routine. Almost every morning was spent walking their dogs (or running with their dogs, on the days they went to the dog park and Yuuri had to rush the mile or so back to their apartment building so he could catch the bus to his university). Viktor helped Yuuri with piano a few times a week, sometimes in the evening after Yuuri got back from class, other times on lazy weekend afternoons when neither had anywhere else to be.

Sometimes they got coffee together.

(“You should just start coming upstairs when you want coffee, I know how to make lattes just fine.”

“Why Yuuri,are you offering to be my own private barista?”

“That is absolutely _not_ what I’m offering and you know it.”)

Sometimes Viktor played clarinet for Yuuri and then insisted Yuuri try to play as well.

(“You actually made real notes come out of it! I’m impressed.”

“It’s not like that’s the first time in my life I’ve ever seen a clarinet, Viktor. Come on.”)

Sometimes they watched movies with Phichit or went out for drinks with Yuuri’s classmates.

(“I’m so proud Yuuri’s finally made a friend other than me! It’s like he’s all grown up, I could just cry I’m so happy.”

“But I thought Yuuri was older than you, Phichit?”)

Viktor couldn’t possibly describe how warm and alive he felt, just enjoying time with someone else.

Some nights, when Viktor was alone in his apartment, he played through his new song. It was mostly finished, in a lonely, incomplete sort of way. On those nights, the violin often echoed back in response, and Viktor’s heart couldn’t help but feel just a bit lighter because of that as well.

(“I was silly thinking I’d somehow fallen in love with violin music, no matter how wonderful it is,” he told Makkachin. “So, _so_ silly.”)

\---

“Yuuri!” Viktor rushed into Yuuri’s apartment, forgetting to knock in his excitement. Luckily Yuuri was both home and decent, though he still looked startled enough to come out of his skin when Viktor opened the door. “I have to show you something.”

“Are you also trying to kill me?” He was clutching his hand to his chest, breathing coming in quick pants. “Knock next time.”

Viktor stepped back out of the apartment, closed the door, and then knocked.

Yuuri didn’t say anything.

“Yuuriiiii,” Viktor whined. “Aren’t you going to let me in?” He peeked through the crack in the door and was met with the sight of Yuuri clutching his face, this time trying to stifle his own laughter.

Yuuri was laughing at him. He would almost have been offended if it wasn’t such a cute laugh (which it most definitely was). “Just come in, Viktor, before the neighbours complain.”

Viktor did not come inside. Instead, he leaned against the door frame and held a hand to his forehead, sighing dramatically. The image was ruined just a bit by Vicchan coming over to lick at his heels. “Oh _now_ he wants me inside, just so he can hide his shame from the neighbours,” Viktor told Vicchan. Vicchan gave him a sympathetic look. They shared a lot of looks between them, he and Vicchan. Viktor liked to think they had a bond because of both their shared interest in Yuuri and their alliterative names.

Yuuri grabbed Viktor by the arm and lead him back inside, shutting (and locking) the door behind him. “You are so ridiculous. What is it you wanted to show me?”

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Viktor handed Yuuri a flier. “I’m performing at a jazz club next week! You’ll come, yeah?”

Yuuri scanned the piece of paper and his eyes went wide. “Oh wow, this is… a really nice club.”

“Have you been? I haven’t. I met the manager at a coffee shop a few days ago and he asked if I would come play a set sometime. He must have some sort of sixth sense for musicians, I didn’t even have an instrument on me or anything!”

Yuuri gave him an odd look. Viktor decided it meant he was very impressed. “I doubt he has a sixth sense, Viktor.” Impressed with Viktor, that is, not with the club owner. “And yes, I’ve been there a couple times. It’s a little expensive, they charge a cover on nights they have live music.”

Viktor patted Yuuri’s shoulder, more out of wanting to touch Yuuri’s shoulder than the need to comfort him over cover charges. “You’re coming as my date, I already made sure you wouldn’t have to pay cover.”

Viktor didn’t even notice his choice of words until Yuuri blushed and stammered out a, “Y-your date, huh?”

“Of course. After you’ve taken me on so many dog walking dates and coffee dates and relaxing piano playing dates, I should take you out somewhere nice!” Neither Viktor nor Yuuri had ever called any of those things dates, not out loud anyway.

Yuuri didn’t point that out. “I suppose I’ll let you pay me back, then.” Yuuri smiled. Viktor’s heart did a flip. It did another to correct itself when Yuuri kissed his cheek. “I’d love to come see you play.”

\---

Viktor wasn’t supposed to play until 8:00 PM but they arrived a couple hours early so Viktor could make a big fuss about buying Yuuri a drink and spending some time with him before he had to take the stage.

“You don’t have to pull out my chair, you know.” Yuuri was laughing at him like the very cute, very rude person he was. “It’s a bar stool.”

Viktor pulled out the bar stool anyway and Yuuri slid onto it before nudging the one next to him out for Viktor.

“You’re sweet,” Viktor said.

“You’re ridiculous,” Yuuri replied. Viktor knew he meant he was sweet too, though.

Viktor carefully studied the drink menu for a moment before deciding on a tasty sounding mixture of gin, crème de violette, orange curacao, and lemon juice. Yuuri ordered something as well, without even looking at the menu, and Viktor might have wondered if he’d actually been here more than a couple times if he wasn’t so busy being giddy over being on an actual date with Yuuri.

“Ciao ciao, Viktor.” The club’s owner, Celestino, appeared seemingly out of nowhere to greet him with a clap on the back. “And Yuuri! What a nice surprise. Have you changed your mind about playing here again, hm?”

“Ciao ciao, Celestino,” Viktor said quickly before turning back to Yuuri. “You’ve played here before? You should have said so, are there videos?”

“Yes,” Celestino said, right as Yuuri said, “No.”

“I can probably find them on YouTube like I found the others.”

“Please don’t.”

Viktor took note of the unhappy look on Yuuri’s face and smartly decided to drop the subject. “Let me know when I need to go set up,” he told Celestino.

“It won’t be for awhile, but I’ll let you know. You kids have fun.” He patted Yuuri on the shoulder before leaving them be. “And don’t be a stranger, okay Yuuri?”

“Okay,” Yuuri mumbled. The bartender returned with their drinks and Yuuri took a long sip of his. Viktor hesitated for just a moment before placing his hand over top of Yuuri’s. Luckily, that not only seemed to draw him out of whatever it was he was thinking about, but Viktor got a small smile out of the gesture as well.

Before too long, their conversation had to be cut short as it was time for Viktor to set up and start his performance. “We can stay after I’m finished, if you want,” he told Yuuri. “Or come again when I don’t have to play. I really like it here!”

Yuuri nodded and pushed him along. “Go play, I’ll be here when you’re done.”

Viktor sure liked the idea of someone waiting for him when he was done with a show.

The crowd that night was huge. Every table was filled, as well as the seats at the bar, and some people were even standing around behind the bar, holding their drinks in one hand as they tried to clap for Viktor with the other. He began with some improvisations (he was at a jazz club, after all, not playing with a symphony), before moving into a few of his more upbeat pieces.

Everyone in the club was drinking, laughing, clapping when Viktor finished a song, calling out names of songs they wanted him to play, but he might as well have been back at Yuuri’s apartment, bumping elbows with the other man and laughing as they tried to make their way through a duet, for all he was paying attention to anyone in the crowd but Yuuri.

When his time on stage was almost over, he grabbed the mic and looked over at Yuuri. He barely thought before he started to speak. “I was hoping,” he told the crowd. “That a certain somebody might help me play this last song?”

The crowd hooted and hollered with all the enthusiasm they could muster, waiting for the mysterious person to join Viktor up on stage. Yuuri looked unsure at first, but he stood up after a moment (to more applause) and made his way over to the piano.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Viktor whispered to Yuuri as the other man sat down on the piano bench next to him. “But I love playing with you.”

The crowd quieted as Yuuri started to play. He’d always thought Yuuri’s music had a magical quality to it, since that first time he heard him playing, but watching him on stage, so focused on his playing that he drowned out the crowd, was something Viktor wanted to experience more.

\---

**14:39**  
_[image attached]  
__[image attached]_  

**14:46**  
_Are you at the university?_

_yes but thats not the important thing about the pictures!_  
_theres a talent show sign up  
youll win for sure _

**14:55  
** _The music department does those once a month  
__There isn’t really a winner_  

**14:56**  
_[image attached]_  
_[image attached]_  
_[image attached]_  
_yuuri look im so sad about you not signing up  
:(_

**15:01  
** _You are such a dork  
__I’m out of class, I’ll come find you_  

A few minutes later, Viktor saw Yuuri come outside, accompanied by a girl. Yuuri paused his conversation as soon as he noticed Viktor and waved at him.

“I’ll see you on Saturday, right Yuuri?” the girl asked when they made to part ways.

“At the Talent Show,” Yuuri told Viktor. “Yuuko runs it. Stop looking at me like that.” Viktor didn’t know what Yuuri meant but he tried to stop looking at him “like that”. He didn’t actually stop looking at him, however.

Yuuko laughed. “He hasn’t signed up in months,” she told Viktor. “Thanks for talking him into it!”

She bid them farewell and both men started walking back in the direction of their apartment building. “What brought you over here, anyway?” Yuuri asked. “I’m guessing it wasn’t to look for fliers.”

Viktor shrugged and slipped his hand into Yuuri’s. “I was bored. The building is too quiet during the day! It’s much better when you’re there playing piano and the woman upstairs is arguing with her kids and that mysterious violinist is playing.”

Yuuri stumbled, probably over a rock or an uneven patch in the sidewalk, and Viktor tightened his grip on his hand to keep him from falling. “That violinist?”

“Yeah! You said you didn’t know any other musicians in the building, but you’ve heard them playing, yeah?” Viktor still hadn’t met whoever it was, though he hadn’t exactly been trying hard to find them. He’d found himself more preoccupied with someone else the last few months, after all. “They play the most mesmerising music.”

“Do they now.”

Viktor couldn’t quite place the tone in Yuuri’s voice. “After yours, of course,” he reassured. “I keep forgetting to ask people about them. Maybe Phichit knows who it is?”

Yuuri laughed and the whatever-it-was emotion was gone from his voice when he told Viktor, “Phichit knows everyone.”

\---

The violin woke Viktor up before sunrise, drifting into his room as clearly as the birds right outside his window. He didn't rush to find who it was, or text Yuuri or Phichit to ask if they were sure they didn't know it was. He just listened. The notes flowed harmoniously against one another, a warm, happy tune that told of nothing but joy coming from the heart of the violinist.

The first time he'd heard that music had been months ago, of course, but it felt like much longer. Where he'd once found himself thinking he could almost fall in love with whoever was playing those lovely songs, just from listening to the faint sound of their violin, he now knew he'd been more than a bit foolish.

The music still stirred something in his heart, however, and he couldn’t help but to feel guilty. "Our Yuuri plays just as beautifully on piano, eh Makkachin?" Makkachin simply grunted in reply. "You're right, I'll go back to sleep. Gotta be awake to watch him play later, after all."

\---

“Are you nervous?”

“Are you Russian?”

“Of course I am, you know that I’m from Russia. Oh!” Viktor laughed. “Of course you’re nervous. You’ll be amazing. I’m really excited to see you perform.”

Saturday arrived quickly enough and it was almost time for the music department’s monthly talent show. The coordinators were clearly saving the best for last, since Yuuri’s would be the final performance, but Yuuri didn’t seem to feel that way about it.

“How am I supposed to go on after I watch a bunch of great performances?” he’d asked Viktor earlier.

Viktor didn’t know how anyone would possibly be able to go after Yuuri, not when he was looking as handsome as he was in well-fitted slacks and a jacket Viktor had helped him pick out, and especially not since he’d been playing piano better than ever the last few weeks. When Viktor had said Yuuri was more mesmerising than the still-mysterious violinist, he hadn’t been kidding.

“Does that imagining the audience naked trick work for you?”

The look on Yuuri’s face said it all. “ _No._ ”

“Especially not if you’re in the audience, Viktor.” Phichit chose that moment to join them where they were seated in the audience and Viktor rather enjoyed the particular shade of pink that Yuuri’s nose went after he heard what Phichit said.

“You’re terrible,” Yuuri told Phichit.

“I’m right, though.”

Yuuri was cut off from arguing by one of his classmates announcing that the show was about to start.

Not everyone performing that evening was from the music department, but it was a rather impressive show given it was just for fun and one of the acts featured hand puppets in Lambda Theta Phi t-shirts.

Every time another musician did perform, Viktor felt Yuuri’s hand get a little more sweaty beneath his own. The act right before Yuuri’s was another pianist and Viktor frowned.

“They were so good about spacing out the other acts so two piano players didn’t go right after eachother,” he said to Yuuri.

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Yuuri whispered back.

“You’ll just worry about every other thing, hm?”

“Yuuri!” Yuuko had been announcing the performances the whole evening and was back onstage following the second to last act. Viktor hadn’t noticed when it ended, too busy speaking with Yuuri, but Yuuko was now laughing and motioning for Yuuri to come onto the stage. “It’s your turn, get up here!”

Yuuri took his sweaty hand out of Viktor’s grip and smiled at him. “You better watch me the whole time.”

“How could I not?”

When Yuuri got up to take the stage, Viktor was too busy looking at him to notice that the piano had been moved off to the side of the stage, just as they’d been doing for the whole show when it wasn’t in use.

He did notice when one of the other students handed Yuuri a violin case, however.

Viktor gasped (very loudly, judging by the way Phichit snorted with laughter) when Yuuri started playing _his song_ . He’d changed a few of the notes and lines to make the song more suitable for a violin, to change it into something all his own and bring it to life in a way Viktor hadn’t been able to on the piano. He looked beautiful up there on the stage, eyes closed and body swaying ever so gently as he lost himself in the music. Viktor had no idea how he’d ever thought the distant music he’d listened to before was the most enchanting thing he’d ever heard; seeing and hearing it in person was so much more satisfying. Seeing and hearing _Yuuri_ was so much more than he could have ever expected.

“He’s really something on the violin, right?” Viktor almost didn’t notice Phichit was talking to him. He simply nodded, refusing to take his eyes of Yuuri.

Yuuri was met with thunderous applause when he finished the song and Viktor was right there when he stepped off stage, launching himself at him and crashing their mouths together.

“That was amazing,” he mumbled against Yuuri’s lips, not wanting to pull away from him completely just yet, despite the fact that a violin case was awkwardly bumping into the side of his legs. “Why didn’t you tell me you played violin?”

“I don’t know, honestly. You’re not mad I used your song?”

Viktor was the complete opposite of mad. “I’d say it’s more our song, at this point.” He unwrapped his arms from around Yuuri and looped their arms together to lead him away from the stage instead. “I think it’ll sound even better as a duet.”


End file.
